The Digital Divide and Standards of Learning

This past weekend, my wife and I were discussing our third grader's first academic right of passage - taking her first Standards of Learning or SOL test.

She was struggling with her math, so we had her practice with an online program called SOL Pass.

SOL Pass advertises itself as "Virginia's Leader in SOL Science and Social Studies Practice and Review for Elementary and Middle School."  It is a nice resource, but it also got me thinking again about The Digital Divide which I have written about in other articles on this blog:

The Dixie Pig: Leveling the Digital Divide in Virginia's Schools (Dec. 3, 2013)

The Dixie Pig: Monday Public Meetings on Digital Divide at West Potomac (May 18, 2013)

Many children in the 44th District do not have parents who are sophisticated enough to know whether their children are struggling on SOL material or to understand it themselves.  Even if they do understand, many of the children in the 44th District do not have computers or broadband in their homes that are capable of accessing SOL Pass.

When I think about why every elementary school on the west side of U.S. 1, Bucknell Elementary, and Mount Vernon High School struggle to maintain their academic accreditation with the state, these issues should be front and center.

My children have the opportunity to practice and test for their SOL tests that many children in the 44th District cannot even attempt to access because they do not have the equipment of broadband connections.

I will be unveiling a project to begin to address in this in the 44th District very soon.  But we must also address this at the statewide level.  Closing The Digital Divide must also be at the forefront of education reform in Virginia.

Weekly Column: Leveling the Digital Playing Field in Virginia's Schools

The following is my column that will appear in the Mt. Vernon Gazette, The Mt. Vernon Voice and Patch in the week of December 2, 2013:

As more and more content goes digital, it has begun to affect our schools.  Textbook publishers have begun to design instructional systems - also called "electronic textbooks" to deliver instruction to children.   

These systems range from relatively static electronic books like you can find on a Kindle all the way to fully interactive learning systems with embedded video, links to external content, and interactive homework modules with extra questions for student struggling with specific concepts.
It is also virtually impossible to find a well-paying job in today's world that does not require computer literacy.  Performing car repairs or running a cash register requires digital literacy. 

In late 2012, I attended a Mt. Vernon District Education Town Hall Meeting.  The crowd was largely upper middle class and not diverse.  Many parents were unhappy about the functionality of new online textbooks deployed in the 2012-2013 schools year by Fairfax County Public Schools.  I was familar with these systems because my third grader is even now doing her math homework using an "electronic textbook." 

Monday Public Meetings on Digital Divide at West Potomac

The economic inequality that currently exists between groups in terms of access to, use of and knowledge of information and communication technology is often referred to as The Digital Divide.

Last year, I was disturbed to learn that Fairfax County Public Schools had chosen to roll out "electronic textbooks" without ensuring that every child had the ability to use them.  I first discovered they were being used when my children were at home using them.

"Electronic textbooks" are a new tool in education.  They are also actually more than just books.  They are actually online learning system that have homework problems with real time corrections.  They have extra help videos and extra homework problems.

The only problem is that in order to use them you must have both a computer and a broadband connection.  From knocking doors on U.S. 1, I am very aware that many of the 44th District's residents do not have a computer or enough computers and broadband connections due to income restraints. 

I strongly believe that no public school should use a tool that is not equally available to all children in the system, and that family income should not be a barrier to any child's learning potential.

While researching this process, I discovered that both Henrico County Public Schools and Albemarle County Public Schools provide computers to every child in their system from 7th grade and up.  Also, Cox Communications has just launched a program called "Internet Essentials" that provides $10/mo. broadband and $150 refurbished laptops to families that qualify for the free and reduced lunch program.  However, few people know it exists yet.  More information is here:

www.internetessentials.com

Therefore, I introduced legislation prohibiting any school system from using an "electronic textbook" program unless they can show every child in their system has a computer in their home and a broadband connection. 

My legislation was referred to the Virginia Broadband Advisory Council and the Joint Commission on Technology and Science where it is currently being studied.

However, Fairfax County has begun public hearings to take information as to how they can best close The Digital Divide in Fairfax County.  The first meeting in Mt. Vernon:

FCPS Digital Learning Public Hearing
Monday, May 20, 2013

West Potomac High School
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

 

If you cannot attend, you can provide input here:

Digital Learning Comment Form

Working to Save Taxpayer Dollars

The article below appeared in the Mount Vernon Gazette and the Mount Vernon Voice on February 3, 2010.

We are lucky to live in a forward-looking county that is an international technology leader. Technology — the computer revolution — can help all of us be more efficient and Virginia’s government needs to catch up. Technological approaches can streamline service to the public, and be part of the answer to balancing the budget. As I promised in my campaign, I have introduced several "fixes" that would bring new technologies to state operations and cut state expenditures.

Fairfax County generates over 270,000 traffic and criminal citations each year. Today, officers in police cruisers write out citations by hand in triplicate on carbon paper. One copy goes to the accused person, one to the Police Department and one to the Court. Each of the 270,000 summonses then is entered into a computer.

I introduced legislation with bipartisan support to authorize a $3 fee for an "E-Summons" system enabling officers to laser scan a driver’s license bar code and generate a ticket using a computer and printer in their cruiser. The information would be automatically uploaded to the court’s system, avoid the need for 10 data entry personnel, minimize mistakes, avoid hand-carrying papers to court, speed up payments, and police officers on the street instead of pushing paper.

I also introduced legislation to foster electronic filing of pleadings in Virginia Courts. These systems, used in federal courts and the District of Columbia, eliminate the need for paper pleadings, couriers and filing and data entry clerks. The Courts of Justice Committee in the House of Delegates will consider this legislation this week along with three other bills. Fairfax County is the largest jurisdiction in the Commonwealth with some of the most complex litigation and heavy court dockets. This system would also save tax payers millions.

I also introduced legislation to authorize our courts to install electronic recording systems in every courtroom in the Commonwealth. Currently, courts have either no one keeping a record during the proceeding or in most cases, courts must hire court reporters costing $350 per day. Electronic recording would bring savings to the state and to litigants, and create a record in all proceedings. U.S. District Court in Alexandria has used these systems for over 10 years. My legislation was tabled for this year, but I am working with Fairfax County’s Circuit Court Clerk and Attorney General Cuccinelli to implement these systems in Fairfax County.

The Fairfax County Electoral Board asked me to introduce legislation requiring the same envelope for absentee voters who vote in the United States and those who vote abroad. Federal law requires a simplified envelope for absentee voters abroad. The existing system results in confusion when counting votes, lost time, unnecessarily printed envelopes and many disqualifed votes. A subcommittee rejected my bill last week because they did not want to conform Virginia law to federal requirements. I will try again next year.

Good government depends on your involvement and you can contact me, comment on legislation or request a meeting on my Web site – http://www.scottsurovell.org/ or read more of my views on my blog "The Dixie Pig" at ScottSurovell.Blogspot.com. Also, don’t hesitate to call me at 571-249-4484.